Changes in sandy soil hydro‐physical properties as function of biochar and biogas slurry amendments

Abstract

Raising a sandy soil's ability to retain more water is an important strategy to manage sandy soils. Combined application of biochar and slurry was hypothesized to be an appropriate strategy for improving soil hydro-physical properties. A two-season field trial was conducted by cultivating peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) on a sandy soil under permanent overhead sprinkler irrigation. Rice straw biochar at 0, 10, 20 and 30 Mg ha −1 and biogas slurry at 0, 5, 10 and 15 Mg ha −1 were applied. Results indicated that all biogas slurry rates were more effective than biochar on improving all investigated parameters apart from infiltration rate and hydraulic conductivity which were higher with 30 Mg ha −1 of biochar than with 15 Mg ha −1 of slurry. Soil bulk density (g m −3 ) decreased significantly from 1.76 for the control to record 1.72 and 1.62 under biochar and slurry, respectively. Soil moisture contents at different tensions were the highest under the maximum combination rates, while biochar singly gave lower contents than slurry. The combined effect of 10 and 15 Mg ha −1 biochar and slurry, respectively, surpassed their individual effects. With strong coefficients of determination (R 2 ranges from 0.88 to 0.98) and identical curves of estimated and predicted variables, it is possible to have accurate predictions for the changes in soil hydro-physical properties linked with different combinations of biochar and biogas slurry.

Biochar for sustainable soil management

“…Biochar has been found to be effective in alleviating soil loss because of erosion. When combined with NPK fertilizers, biochar was found to be particularly effective in decreasing soil erosion because of runoff (Bashagaluke et al., 2019), owing to improved hydro‐physical properties (Abdo, 2020). Waste walnut wood biochar significantly reduced wind erosion (Pajouhesh et al., 2020).…”

Effects of Combined Applications of Biogas Slurry and Biochar on Phosphorus Leaching and Fractionations in Lateritic Soil

“…As two kinds of widely sourced, safe, and multifunctional organic-waste-derived materials, biochar and biogas slurry can play different roles in soil amendments, and therefore, they were always co-applied in farmland soils to achieve efficient amendment. For example, Abdo [19] co-applied the biochar and BS in sandy soil, and this field research indicated that this combination of 10 and 15 Mg ha −1 biochar and BS can reduce soil bulk and increase the field water capacity. Guo et al [20] investigated the effect of cow dung biochar addition on nutrient leaching of BS-amended acidic yellow soil, and found that the increasing biochar and BS application amount can both enhance the availability and leaching amount of the soil phosphorus and potassium.…”

Effects of biochar nanoparticles as a soil amendment on the structure and hydraulic characteristics of a sandy loam soil

“…Although many studies have investigated biochar effects on soil hydraulic properties (Abdo, 2020; Liang et al, 2021), there have been varying result, ranging from a decrease to no significant effects (Atkinson, 2018; Jeffery et al, 2015; Wang et al, 2021). It has also been widely shown that soil hydraulic characteristics are greatly affected by soil structure and colloidal properties.…”